Methods and systems for automated load balancing of color print jobs

Abstract

Methods and systems for selecting a printing device are disclosed. A print job may be received. A computing device may produce a first color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for a first printing device to determine a first value and a second color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for a second printing device to determine a second value. One of the printing devices may be selected for the print job based on at least the first value and the second value. The print job may be transmitted to the selected printing device and printed using the selected printing device.

1 . A method of selecting a printing device, the method comprising:
 receiving a print job;   producing, by a computing device, a first color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for a first printing device to determine a first value;   producing, by the computing device, a second color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for a second printing device to determine a second value;   selecting one of the printing devices for the print job based on at least the first value and the second value;   transmitting the print job to the selected printing device; and   printing the print job using the selected printing device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein producing a first color transformation comprises producing a first color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile representing a first printing technology having a first number of colors, and wherein producing a second color transformation comprises producing a second color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile representing a second printing technology having a second number of colors, wherein the first number of colors differs from the second number of colors. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting one of the printing devices comprises selecting, by the computing device, one of the printing devices for the print job based on at least the first value and the second value. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting one of the printing devices comprises:
 selecting the first printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is less than a threshold; and   selecting the second printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is not less than the threshold.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 producing, by the computing device, one or more color transformations for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for one or more third printing devices to determine a third value for each third printing device, and   wherein selecting one of the printing devices is further based on at least the one or more third values.   
     
     
         6 . A system for selecting a printing device, the system comprising:
 a first printing device;   a second printing device;   a processor in communication with the first printing device and the second printing device; and   a processor readable storage medium in communication with the processor,   wherein the processor readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for:
 receiving a print job, 
 producing, by the processor, a first color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for the first printing device to determine a first value, 
 producing, by the processor, a second color transformation for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for the second printing device to determine a second value, 
 selecting one of the printing devices for the print job based on at least the first value and the second value, and 
 transmitting the print job to the selected printing device. 
   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the first printing device comprises a printing device having a first number of colors and the second printing device comprises a printing device having a second number of colors, wherein the first number of colors differs from the second number of colors. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the one or more programming instructions for selecting one of the printing devices comprise one or more programming instructions for:
 selecting the first printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is less than a threshold; and   selecting the second printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is not less than the threshold.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 one or more third printing devices, wherein each third printing device is in communication with the processor,   wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise producing, by the processor, one or more third color transformations for the print job using at least a color gamut error profile for each third printing device to determine a third value for each third printing device, and   wherein the one or more programming instructions for selecting one of the printing devices comprise one or more programming instructions for selecting one of the printing devices for the print job based on at least the first value, the second value and the one or more third values.   
     
     
         10 . A method of selecting a printing device, the method comprising:
 receiving a print job; and   for at least one page of the print job:
 producing, by a computing device, a first color transformation for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile for the first printing device to determine a first value, 
 producing, by the computing device, a second color transformation for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile for the second printing device to determine a second value, 
 selecting one of the printing devices for the at least one page based on at least the first value and the second value, 
 transmitting the at least one page to the selected printing device; and 
 printing the at least one page using the selected printing device. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein producing a first color transformation comprises producing a first color transformation for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile representing a first printing technology having a first number of colors, and wherein producing a second color transformation comprises producing a second color transformation for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile representing a second printing technology having a second number of colors, wherein the first number of colors differs from the second number of colors. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein selecting one of the printing devices comprises selecting, by the computing device, one of the printing devices for the at least one page based on at least the first value and the second value. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein selecting one of the printing devices comprises:
 selecting the first printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is less than a threshold; and   selecting the second printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is not less than the threshold.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising.
 producing, by the computing device, one or more color transformations for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile for one or more third printing devices to determine a third value for each third printing device, and   wherein selecting one of the printing devices is further based on at least the one or more third values.   
     
     
         15 . A system for selecting a printing device, the system comprising:
 a first printing device;   a second printing device,   a processor in communication with the first printing device and the second printing device; and   a processor readable storage medium in communication with the processor;   wherein the processor readable storage medium contains one or more programming instructions for:
 receiving a print job, and 
 for at least one page of the print job:
 producing, by the processor, a first color transformation for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile for the first printing device to determine a first value, 
 producing, by the processor, a second color transformation for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile for the second printing device to determine a second value, 
 selecting one of the printing devices for the at least one page based on at least the first value and the second value, and 
 transmitting the at least one page to the selected printing device. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the first printing device comprises a printing device having a first number of colors and the second printing device comprises a printing device having a second number of colors, wherein the first number of colors differs from the second number of colors. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the one or more programming instructions for selecting one of the printing devices comprise one or more programming instructions for:
 selecting the first printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is less than a threshold; and   selecting the second printing device if the difference between the first value and the second value is not less than the threshold.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 one or more third printing devices, wherein each third printing device is in communication with the processor,   wherein the one or more programming instructions further comprise, for at least one page of the print job, producing, by the processor, one or more third color transformations for the at least one page using at least a color gamut error profile for each third printing device to determine a third value, and   wherein the one or more programming instructions for selecting one of the printing devices comprise one or more programming instructions for selecting one of the printing devices for the at least one page based on at least the first value, the second value and the one or more third values.